Experts from the Institute for Automotive Market Research analyzed statistics on motorcycle registrations and identified the most popular brands in three segments: used imports, domestic resales, and new motorcycles.
Motorcycle market dynamics
The total volume of officially registered purchases of motorcycles of all types in October amounted to 4.9 thousand. These volumes are 33.1% lower than in the previous month (September), but 9.8% higher than in October 2024. A month-to-month comparison in this part of the market rather shows seasonality, and year-to-year — the dynamics of motorcycle trade volumes.
Among the total number , 57.9% of motorcycles were new (imported from abroad), in quantitative terms this is 2,828 units.
1,694 motor vehicle purchase and sale transactions were concluded on the domestic market, which accounted for 34.7% of the total.
Another 7.4% of motorcycles were imported used from abroad (364 units).
By individual subsegments, the dynamics of motorcycle sales looks as follows (MM — compared to the previous month, YY — compared to the same period last year):
- Domestic resales: −34.3% MM, −1.9% YY
- Used imports: −36.7% MM, +31.4% YY
- New imports: −31.7% MM, +15.6% YY
The most popular motorcycles in the domestic market
The domestic market, where Ukrainians resold motorcycles to each other, has the most diverse picture. The top 10 leaders are dominated by a real "mix" of brands.
Honda holds the leading position, which proves the constant demand for time-tested Japanese reliability. Next to it are Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki. This indicates that classic "Japanese" remain a valuable asset in the secondary market.
At the same time, more affordable, mostly Chinese brands also hold quite strong positions: Geon, Lifan, Kovi, Mustang, Spark and Shineray. This means that the market is clearly divided into two camps: those who are looking for practical and inexpensive transport "here and now", and those who are ready to resell or buy reliable, albeit age-old, equipment from a well-known manufacturer.
Unlike the passenger car market, where VAZ and Daewoo still make it into the top ten most popular brands/models, local and quasi-local brands have dropped significantly lower. For example, JAWA is in 16th place, IZH is in 19th, KMZ is in 22nd, and MMVZ is in 26th.
The most popular used motorcycles imported from abroad
The used motorcycle import segment is the territory of connoisseurs and enthusiasts. An analysis of the top 10 shows that there is practically no "consumer" here.
The big Japanese four dominate again: Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki. Apparently, Ukrainians import used models that were either not officially introduced in the country or are classics that they are looking for for their soul.
Apart from the “Japanese”, the rest of the list is made up of premium and legendary brands. Here we see American Harley-Davidson and Indian, Italian Ducati, German BMW, British Triumph and Austrian KTM. There are no budget Asian brands in this segment – this is a market of pure emotions and style.
The most popular new motorcycles
The new motorcycle segment looks like a mirror image of imports. If there was a "soul" there, here it is exclusively pragmatism and affordability. The market is almost entirely owned by manufacturers from China and, partly, India.
The top sales are dominated by brands that offer the most affordable equipment: Spark, Forte, Mustang, Lifan and Kovi. Geon, Tekken, Loncin and Viper also occupy high positions. The only Indian representative in the top ten — Bajaj — also plays in the budget segment.
This is exactly the kind of equipment that is purchased for utilitarian tasks: courier delivery, trips to rural areas, or as the first, cheapest two-wheeled transport.
The heterogeneous and at the same time interesting picture of the "moto" market, which is preparing for "wintering", was commented on by car market expert Ostap Novytsky: "The motorcycle market is interesting in that the overwhelming share here belongs to new products — almost 58% according to the results of October. And this is a stable trend: despite seasonality, at least a thousand new motorcycles were sold every month, and in the high season the figures reached over 6 thousand.
All this demand is based on imports from China or India. I would compare this segment with the market for trailers for cars — almost 90% of them are new products, but of Ukrainian production. Yes, a trailer is structurally easier to manufacture than a vehicle with an internal combustion engine or an electric motor. However, motor vehicles are not only motorcycles. If we start such production, then it also includes power tools, generators, motor pumps, mini tractors, walk-behind tractors and many other things for which there is a stable demand. However, today it is satisfied with goods "Made in China".
And in vain. When looking for new niches to open or expand a business, you donʼt have to go very far — here it is. And itʼs worth taking on the first one, and a dozen more "startups" will immediately appear. But there is still no first one."
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